The present invention relates to pulsating spraying devices. The invention is particularly useful in showerheads, and is therefore described below with respect to this application, but it will be apprecited that the invention could also be used in other types of spraying devices, such as water sprayers for plants, atomizers, nebulizers, and the like.
My above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,850 discloses a fluid-flow control device which includes an oscillating member freely movable within a housing such that one face of the member opens and closes an inlet opening in the housing, and the opposite face of the member drives the fluid in the form of pulses out of an outlet opening located in the opposite side of the housing in axial alignment with the inlet opening.
The device described in that patent application is very similar to a dripper device described in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,473, except that the modifications made to it enable it to serve as a high-frequency fluid pulsator for many applications other than for drip irrigation.